THE X-FACTOR
2016 – GAME EIGHT
ST. PIUS X
v.
JEFFERSON DRAGONS
Friday, October 21, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Jefferson High School Stadium
(NOT at the school)
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There was once a donkey – says an old Indian fable – which had lost its tail. He foolishly
went looking for the missing appendage everywhere he could think to search, not realizing that,
even if he should find it, he would never be able to attach it again to his body. His desperate
wandering took him to a meadow and then to a garden, where all his stomping and rooting about
did great damage. The gardener, seeing all the destruction, fell into a rage at the donkey,
accosted him, and cut off his ears.
The lesson from this?
“Disdain Things You Cannot Have. Ignoring Them Is The Best Revenge.”
~Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power~
It’s pretty much certain, now, that one thing we cannot have this year is a region
championship. A tough blow, but not a huge surprise, either, all things considered.
Time to adjust our sights and move on.
That said, word is our guys took it hard. This last loss especially. And you can see why.
Early on, it was vintage St. Pius football – the best of the year. Helped by some crisp ,
accurate reads by the still-learning #18 sophomore quarterback Connor Egan, running backs like
#33 senior Bobby Campbell, #28 junior Nkem Njoku, and the redoubtable #3 senior Grant
Holloman were getting more room than they’ve had in a while to put their considerable gifts on
display.
And so they did – Njoku galloping 30 yards on the first play from scrimmage; Holloman
carrying for eight more; Egan keeping it himself for another 10; Holloman dashing for 29; and
Campbell pounding it into the end zone for the early lead.
The defense looked sharp too, including an incredible pass break-up by #20 senior Nick
Caragher and a tackle-for-loss by fast-rising sophomore #15 Patrick Molnar. Oconee went threeand-out.
Then the offense did it again. This time Spear-headed by #24 senior Matt Spear on the
ground, plus a spectacular throw and catch – Egan (co-offensive player of the week) to Holloman
– down the left sideline. Holloman hauled it in despite knowing he was about to get absolutely
clobbered (and, boy, was he ever). The drive stalled just short of yielding points, but it was still
a great glimpse of what these 2016 Lions can do.
Things continued to go well. With #59 senior London Lewis (our co-defensive player of
the week) plugging the line, we forced another three-and-out, which set up another big Njoku run,
which in turn set up – wait for it – a cameo appearance by our missing quarterback, #10 junior
Ben White. White dropped back from the Oconee ten, got flushed out, dodged and ducked under
a wave of defenders, then, assisted by our co-offensive player of the week, #60 center Anthony
Thomas, he tucked and made it to the end zone for the 13-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Oconee County finally answered with a touchdown of their own, but, following a brilliant
27-yard kickoff return by Spear, the Lion offense mounted yet another drive, setting up a 25-yard
field goal by Will Prossert to make it 16-7 as time expired in the second quarter.
It was looking even better as the second half started. Another short Oconee County drive
stifled by some big hits – including from co-defensive player of the week, #6 senior linebacker
Olin Broadway – ended with a blocked punt, courtesy of special teams player of the week Njoku.
Somehow, though, it didn’t hold up in the second. Give the Warriors credit. It’s no
accident they came in 5-1. It won’t be a shock if they win our region. On the verge, maybe, of
getting blown out, they rose up to keep us from capitalizing on that short field, stopping us on
four plays. Then they exploded with a 43 yard bomb to Ty Paschal in the end zone to draw
within 16-14.
Not long after that they went on another drive, fueled by short passes to Roques Dowdy
and another bomb to Paschal. Quarterback Sam Middlebrooks carried it in for the touchdown for
what turned out to be the final points of this painfully disappointing night – a 20-16 loss.
“What we most deeply desire … is to create our world for ourselves. …
Now in play we create our own world.”
~H.A. Overstreet, Influencing Human Behavior~
Play. That’s what this is. It is, at bottom, a game. Then again, can’t you say that about a
whole lot of the things that fill our time?
“After all,” we say a lot, it’s only just … [fill in the blank.]”
Except it’s not. Part of being human – being created in the image of God – is that we
create. And what we create matters. Why? Because it’s us. Because it’s children of God doing
what they were built to do.
So we won’t be creating – probably – a region championship this year. We might not
even be making the playoffs, or lasting very long if we do.
So now what?
If you’ve followed SPX football closely over the years, you already know. The
extraordinary thing about this program under its current leadership is that every season counts.
Every season – regardless of when or how it ends on the field and in the standings – counts
toward something important.
Some of it we get to see. Yes, “moral victories” are indeed a “thing.” There is such a
thing as winning even when the scoreboard says you lost. To deny that is to flirt with the sin of
despair – even atheism.
There’s one vivid memory from a few years back of a certain Golden Lion– a guy who
had a reputation for being, supposedly, a little “soft” – turning into absolutely the toughest (and
also classiest) man on the field in a brutally hard-fought playoff game.
That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about. And if I weren’t running out of time and
space I could list examples a lot, lot more.
This year’s team is giving the same kind of memories, the same kind of special
performances. And we’re coming on the time of year when Golden Lion teams deliver them in
droves.
It’s also the time of year – and this year especially – when the whole community needs to
step up. These Lions need and deserve support. Whether they roar their way miraculously as a
sub-.500 team all the way to the Dome or have it all cut short in two weeks, it’s going to be
special. There will be greatness. What happens now will be legendary and will become – as
much as any other season – a noble bit of Golden Lion lore.
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. … Godliness with contentment is
great gain.”
~St. Paul~
So it’s on to Jefferson. And when you talk about the 2016 Jefferson Dragons, you have
no choice but to start with one very special man.
We’ve known he was coming … In fact, you may have noticed how, for all the great
backs we’ve seen so far this season, we never said any of them was the best. We knew that title
was reserved for someone who still lurked up ahead.
Coach Standard, too, at Dad’s Meetings, praising other guys, has always held something
back, careful to reserve his highest admiration for this insanely gifted runner whom we’d still yet
to face.
Now he’s barreling right toward us.
His name is Colby Wood. He wears number 6. He goes 5-9 and about 180 pounds,
benches near 300, squats about 400, and darts like a water bug, except with the greatest vision
and instincts most of us will ever come across. He’s the single biggest reason Jefferson is 6-1,
ranked in the top ten (AAAA) and widely regarded as the favorite to win our region.
Wood was phenomenal as a frosh (nine touchdowns). As a sophomore – just a
sophomore! – he was statewide offensive player of the year in AAA. He averaged 177 rushing
yards per game, totaling 2,119 in just 12 games and scoring 32 touchdowns in the process. He
added another 203 yards receiving. That was last year.
This year, his numbers have been slightly less absurd, but that’s only because Jefferson
has generally been lambasting its opponents early and giving younger players a chance. He’s got
well over 800 yards in seven games, including nearly seven yards per carry. And he can still
post the crazy numbers when needed – as evidenced by his 200 yard night in the Dragons’
momentous victory over highly ranked (and in AAAAAAA, no less) Gainesville.
Plus, Wood’s pass catching has actually shot up this year – 13 receptions already for 240
yards, including 116 clutch yards in a nip-and-tuck battle last month against top-five-ranked
Thomson.
There used to be a question about Wood’s size – he played his freshman year around 155
pounds – and whether his frame would hold up against all the hits he has to take. No more. He
hits the weight room like Hurricane Matthew and is now as sturdy as he is fast and elusive. (In
one particularly tough game last year, he carried nearly 50 times‼)
You want to be there Friday night just so you can say you saw this Colby Wood kid.
He’s that different.
And the problem is, it’s not just him. This entire Dragon roster is top-to-bottom tough.
For instance, one reason Wood’s been able to carry the ball less this fall is he’s sharing
the backfield with #34 senior running back (also strong safety) Zack Boobas (5-10, 190). When
he isn’t covering the 40 in about 4.5 or using his 36-inch vertical leap, Boobas benches 300 and
squats 450. And those gifts have propelled him to 400 rushing yards of his own so far this year –
on an average of seven yards per carry.
Then there’s a frightening freshman, #5 Colby Clark (5-10, 180). Playing a little as the
second quarterback and elsewhere in the backfield, he’s already racked up 300 yards while
averaging five per carry. This guy – remember; he’s just a young’n! – already benches 225 and
squats 350.
As for the Dragon’s regular quarterback, he’s #18 junior Bryce Moore (6-3, 190).
Moore’s no slouch as an athlete – sporting a 33-inch vertical leap – though he doesn’t rush all
that much. But he can sure sling it when necessary. He’s averaging five completions per game –
a lot given the quality of their ground game and how most of their games have been blowout
wins – and Moore’s completions have been killers, good for, on average, about 16 yards.
For targets, in addition to Wood, Moore likes throwing to #8 senior Chaz Evans (6-1, 180;
nine receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown) and #22 sophomore Sammy Elegreet (6-0,
160; four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown). The Dragons also throw to #20 junior
fullback Justin Cole (5-10, 175; four receptions for 72 yards).
Of course, as great as these skill-position talents have proven to be, they couldn’t post the
numbers they do without a stellar front wall. And that’s exactly what Jefferson has. Their
offensive line was honored earlier this season as the Georgia High School Football Daily’s
Otter’s Chicken Offensive Line of the Week (a title as big and meaty as the young men it honors).
The line features #55 senior tackle (also defensive tackle) Caleb Chandler (6-5, 310). Chandler’s
a monster who’s reportedly fielding offers from multiple ACC and SEC schools. Alongside
Chandler in the trenches are standouts including #62 junior guard Hunter Griffin (6-1, 245), #70
junior center Logan Garner (6-1, 230), #59 sophomore guard J.T. Middleton (6-2, 265), #56
senior tackle Nick Holman 6-2, 250) and #46 sophomore tight end Garmon Randolph (6-6, 200).
The Dragons are plenty solid on defense, too. One sign of it was their performance a few
weeks back against Flowery Branch. It was one of the mostly highly anticipated matchups in the
state that week. Flowery Branch came in highly regarded, particularly its speedy offensive
backfield. But the Jefferson defense shut them down completely, holding their star runners to
negative rushing yardage for the entire game(!) in the Dragons’ 33-0 victory.
Up front Jefferson throws at you some of those same lineman we just listed, along with
#47 senior defensive end/guard/fullback Will Kellum (6-1, 195 and #52 senior defensive
tackle/guard Dontae Wilson (6-0, 295). Wilson squats more than 550 and benches about 400
pounds. Both Kellum and Wilson have upwards of thirty tackles this year, including many for
loss.
At linebacker, watch for #38 senior Blake Wright (5-10, 180). He does a 4.6 forty, leaps
38 inches, benches 265 and squats more than 330.
And in the secondary, Jefferson comes at us with #15 sophomore safety Zac Corbin.
Corbin had two clutch pass deflections plus three key solo tackles in a huge win over Gainesville
a couple weeks back. He also had a critical pick to help the Dragons defeat then-undefeated
Madison County.
Another big-time athlete floating around on defense is #1 junior cornerback/receiver
Terrell Wall (5-9, 150). Among other highlights, he’s got two picks this year, one of them
followed by a 31-yard return against Discovery High School. And we’ll have to deal as well
with #21 senior cornerback Alex Mason (5-9, 175), who’s a big, strong hitter (benching nearly
300 pounds) and big-play specialist. He’s added two picks himself.
And, to mention just one more of the many guys we’ve got to worry about, there’s #4
Cale Compton (5-11, 170). Compton whacks people – a lot – and a good number of his hits
come behind the opposing line of scrimmage. He’s also got a bunch of pass break-ups and a
blocked punt this year.
All that said, #69 senior Bennett Hardee (two-way player of the week last week) tells Z
(see below) that we’ve got a shot at pulling off the upset. It should be something to see, and …
WE’LL SEE YOU THERE!
This week Z spoke with two-way lineman, #69 Bennett Hardee.
Z: Seven weeks in, how are you feeling?
BH: I’m feeling good. I feel like we finally got things together last game. I feel like things are
going real well…they’re on the up.
Z: How is your knee doing? That was a pretty nasty looking play in the game last week.
BH: It was by far, the best-case scenario. It was only a little sprain, but it could have been a lot
worse. I’m really happy about that.
Z: Did you have any concerns about going back into the game last week?
BH: A little bit. It was stiffening up, and it hurt a little, but I got ibuprofen and a knee brace
from Bubbs (Coach Schmitt), and it turned out fine. I was really happy I was able to go back in.
Z: How is the locker room at 0-7?
BH: For a while, it was a little shaky, but we really have gotten things together. It’s hard to
come back every week after a loss and start right back at it. I think we’ve done a better job than
I’ve seen any 0-7 team ever do before, at least in my experience. We’ve stayed together as a
family, so I’m proud of us.
Z: How are the coaches handling things?
BH: The coaches are the same as always. We do the same thing every week, nothing is ever
going to change, and it hasn’t.
Z: What do you know about this week’s opponent in Jefferson?
BH: They’re probably the best team in our region. They’re by far the highest ranked in our
region. I think we match up well against them, and I think we have a great chance to come out
with a win.
Z: Do you know what their offensive plan is?
BH: They’re going to run the whole game. They’re like 83% run and 17% pass, that was the
break-down, so they’re going to try to run it right up the middle. But, our defensive line has
done a good job of stopping that, and our defense as a whole has been stopping the run, so I’m
not too worried about their backs. They’re talented. They’re real talented, but I think we’ll be
fine.
Z: In the last few weeks, you’ve been playing both sides of the ball. How is that adjustment
going for you?
BH: It’s definitely new. I didn’t have a lot of offensive experience before this. I was a
defensive specialist, in my mind at least, but it turns out it didn’t work out that way. I’m real
glad it didn’t. I love playing offense and defense. I love playing, and the more I get to play, the
happier I am.
Z: Tell me how your football career started.
BH: I was a really chubby kid, for basically my whole life. When I decided I wanted to play
football, I heard that offensive linemen were fat, and could move people around. I went in there
in eighth grade at Chamblee Middle School, and just started playing. Really I wasn’t that good
until I got to Pius, and really even until my sophomore year, that’s when I started improving a lot.
Football has turned out great, especially in the beginning as just trying to lose weight… to just do
something with my weight.
Z: Did you grow up playing any other sports?
BH: I wrestled my freshman year, and last year. I’m still deciding about this year because it’s a
fun sport. It’s grueling, but it’s a lot of fun. Wrestling is a feeling like no other. Physical
tiredness, mental focus…it’s intense.
Z: After being in the Pius program for four years, how did that differ from your limited
experience at Chamblee?
BH: It’s a whole [heck] of a lot better, I’ll tell you that; everything from the football, to the
academics, to the people. Everything is different, and it’s different in a much better way. I can’t
beat this education, and just the family feeling that it has. They don’t lie when they say Pius is
family.
Z: Was it a tough adjustment for you, coming into Pius from outside of the traditional feeder
schools?
BH: A little bit, but football made it a lot easier. I can basically trace every one of my successes
or stories, really anything at Pius, back to football. It’s made the experience! It’s been amazing,
and even if it was kind of hard at first, or I didn’t fit in too much at first, it’s changed me for the
better, and I’ve appreciated that.
Z: Moving on to college next year, do you have any prospects on where you’re looking to go, or
what you’re looking to study?
BH: Honestly, I think UGA is probably my first choice now. I’d probably want to go into
theology and be a teacher, which is a kind of scary path. But I’m real passionate about religion
and everything like that, and I feel like it is a career that would suit me well. I’ve also thought
about pre-law because I love debating. I love law in general…I love constitutional law, all that
kind of stuff. I’m kind of a nerd at heart.
Z: Are you interested at all in playing football beyond St. Pius?
BH: I was for a while, and I’m still keeping my options open. It’s more so which schools might
want to look at me, but right now, I think I’m leaning towards just a regular college life, and
enjoying football while I’m here, and hopefully going out on a good note.
Z: Have you had a favorite teacher or class in your time at St. Pius?
BH: Favorite teacher…I’d say it’s probably a toss-up between Mr. Eaglen and Mr Hicks, my
religion teacher last year, and my religion teacher first semester this year. Favorite
class…probably AP US Government. It’s a subject that interests me a lot, and I’ve loved every
minute of it.
Z: Do you have a favorite football moment from your time at Pius?
BH: I wasn’t playing at the time, but beating Marist our sophomore year. I don’t think I’ve ever
been that tired after a game…even games that I played in. When we won…when we got that last
field goal…it was just the emotions that were released. All that intensity, all that suspense, was
released in one instance, and nothing can beat the feeling of that game.
Z: As you’re winding down your career, what are you going to miss the most about St. Pius?
BH: Definitely not the practices or the cramps. I have a reputation for cramping up almost
every practice. Just the people…my teammates. I know I will stay in contact with a lot of them,
but it’s going to be hard not seeing people who I consider my brothers every day.
Z: Inside the locker room, can you tell me anything about your teammates that would surprise us?
BH: I think one of the most underappreciated guys, not among the team, but really among the
school as a whole, is Brady Winski. People just don’t know how funny the kid is. He’s just a
great dude. He talks about it sometimes, “[Dang] it sucks that people don’t even know I play
football. If they do know, then nobody even knows I start.” I’d kind of give a shout-out to
Brady. He’s a [tough] little dude. He’s a great guy, and he deserves some recognition for being
the great player that he is.
Z: Do you have any sort of pre-game rituals on a Friday?
BH: Yes! I always have to sleep. Whether it’s for five minutes, or whatever, I find I’ve got to
get my heart rate down. It’s not that I’m so much nervous, but I’m just ready to go all day. I
actually hate the process of warming up for games. I’m ready to go, and I just want to get in and
start playing already. I have a weird music routine. I listen to Christian piano music because I
found out that that calms me down more than anything else. It doesn’t matter what it is. I just
find random stuff on YouTube, and I’ll listen to that on repeat until I’m able to fall asleep and
get my heart rate down.
Z: Christian piano music? I bet that’s the first time those three words have been strung together
in an X Factor!
BH: Probably! I just found that I’ve got to get my piano music in before games!
Z: What do you listen to when you’re just hanging out?
BH: Right now, I’ve been listening to a rotation of Corey Smith and Eric Church. They’re my
two favorite musicians. I’ll also go through phases where I’ll listen to a mix of rap or country.
Z: Well, thank you for your time, and good luck this weekend.
BH: You’re welcome.
GO LIONS‼